Cast an informed vote today

Student Union elections are upon us. When you’re deciding whether to vote on March 3 and 4, consider this—the four years you spend as a college student at Wash. U. may be the least apathetic of your life, at least in terms of the people who surround you. You may go on to change public policy or initiate grassroots organizations, or you may be president, but never again will you be so closely surrounded by so many young people who care. What exactly the students at Wash. U. care about varies, of course. But the engaged nature of a college campus can be seen in Wash. U. students’ high grade-point averages, their athletic dedication and the flyers that cover campus promoting more than 200 SU groups.

It’s a scary thought, the notion that such intense, condensed, active participation in life will be lost amid a sea of apathy when we move out of the Wash. U. bubble and into the real world. And so the only viable option when presented with the reality of such short-lived engagement is not to take such an atmosphere for granted.

Vote in the upcoming elections. Vote because you’ve decided who you want to control a $2.2 million budget. Vote because you’ve chosen the representatives who will bring positive change to SU and campus. Vote because the system works only if the student body feels connected to its government. Vote if you know every detail about both slates, and vote if you know nothing but their big ideas. Vote if you’ve voted in every SU election since coming to Wash. U., and vote if you’ve never voted in any election, Wash. U.-related or not, before. Vote to increase transparency. Vote to bring the kinds of speakers you want to campus. Vote to increase funding for individual student groups. Vote because you can. Vote because you only have four years at Wash. U. and because such an opportunity for direct involvement may not last past graduation.